by Korina Lopez, USA TODAY

by Korina Lopez, USA TODAY

For Grammy-winning group Carolina Chocolate Drops, playing traditional string band music is more than an odd hobby. It's passing on an important part of African-American history."There aren't many people who know about the African-American roots of the banjo. It's an African-derived instrument and a strong part of the black community," says banjoist Dom Flemons.

"The music itself is irresistible, and then history pulled me in even more. It was a one-two punch," singer and co-founder Rhiannon Giddens chimes in. "I had studied opera and burned out, I went through a few different styles like Celtic, but this music captured me in a way that others kinds haven't."

Banjo string band music isn't exactly something that you can just turn on the radio and find, much less know where to find. "Rhiannon and I met in 2005 at the Black Banjo Gathering in Boone, N.C.," says Flemons. Over the next couple of years, Flemons and Giddens - both are married, but not to each other - recruited guitarist Hubby Jenkins. "I grew up playing guitar and really got into Woody Guthrie and that whole romantic thing with traveling around," Jenkins says.

The band discovered another great talent on the streets, touring band member and cellist Leyla McCalla, who was busking full time in New Orleans.

Flemons, Giddens and Jenkins fine-tuned their craft and developed their knowledge of the music through Joe Thompson, one of the few remaining old-time fiddlers. "He lived about 45 minutes away from Durham, where we lived," says Giddens of Thompson, who died Feb. 20 at age 93. "Every week, we made pilgrimages to learn from him. The Thompson Family Band used to play square dances for both black and white crowds, and we were the first young black group to play with him in public."

The band employs several different instruments to create their unique blend of traditional music and modern flair, trading off on banjo, fiddle, kazoo, harmonica, bones and jug. "We're not trying to be mainstream, but I think we're going to get more mainstream," says Giddens. "If five people learn about the music, we're happy."

So if Madonna calls? "Absolutely!" says Flemons. "In fact, Rhiannon does a version of Papa Don't Preach on the banjo."